


If Monsters Must Be Slain

by nusantara



Category: DRAMAtical Murder
Genre: Childhood Friends, M/M, kid!Aoba, kid!Koujaku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-19
Updated: 2014-05-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 17:27:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1656542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nusantara/pseuds/nusantara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five moments where Aoba realizes something about the nature of heroes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If Monsters Must Be Slain

Granny isn't here to pick him up right after school. When this happens, it means the older kids pick and bully him in the park. They tug at his blue hair, making fun of him and calling him a freak. Every time they touch his hair, it feels like his body might go limp from pain. He doesn't understand why he's like this, and he wishes he were normal. It doesn't help he's crying, which is making things worse.

He wishes for his dad to come save him and make all these people go away and leave him alone. He hopes these kids get bored of him and move on, finding something else to bide their time with.

"Oi! Didn't your mother teach any of you better? You should honor and respect her by doing good things instead of hurtful things." He recognizes the voice, and so he turns his head, but his vision is still a bit blurry.

"If you don't leave him alone, I'll be busy apologizing to your mothers." The bullies let him go, going over to… Koujaku? It's the new older boy who's living with him and Granny. They only met recently, but he's been too shy to say much to him. Koujaku looks strong, confident, and really cool looking.

The bullies scatter away, yelling out a few idle threats as they do so. He's still sitting on the floor, wiping a few tears from his eyes. He then sees a hand extended towards him.

"It's Aoba, right? Come on, your Grandmother is waiting for you at home." He doesn't take Koujaku's hand right away, but hesitantly does eventually. "Don't worry, I only use my strength against those who hurt innocent people." The way Koujaku smiles at him, it makes him feel like everything is better in the world right now.

This must be what real heroes are like, he thinks.

\---

"Did you hear that, Koujaku?" He whispers to Koujaku who's lying in bed next to him. He's pulled the cover over their heads, trying to hide from the monsters lurking in the dark.

"Hm?" Koujaku responds, pulling the covers back. "Is it the monsters you were talking about before?" Aoba nods. "Ah, well, don't worry. They won't come near us." Earlier he asks Koujaku to check for monsters, but he doesn't find any, so Koujaku insists on stay until they come out and he can personally tell them to leave Aoba alone. "I'm here, and they're scared of me."

"Eh? But…" He mutters, trying not be scared, but he can't help it. Being in the dark, even with Koujaku with him still is a bit scary to him.

"Don't worry, Aoba. Monsters used to come for me and Mother in the dark, but then she taught me something to keep them away." Koujaku cups their hands together, his big hands over his small ones. "All you have to do is think of being with people you love and want to be with. Monsters can't be near people who are happy and in love. It's even stronger when you dream about those things, so get some sleep, Aoba."

He closes his eyes, thinking of his parents, granny, and Koujaku with his mother having dinner. Eventually he falls asleep and he dreams about them.

Monsters lurking in the darkness don't disturb him that night. Heroes like Koujaku keep monsters from hurting people

\---

He only wakes up when he smells breakfast. He rushes down stairs, his pajama top not button correctly. He expects to see Koujaku, Granny, and Koujaku's mother waiting for him, but it's just Granny.

"Where's Koujaku?" His grandmother looks at him, frowning.

She starts explaining to him that they left in a hurry back to the Mainland. She says some other stuff, but Aoba's stuck on the fact Koujaku's not here anymore. Just like his parents left him when he feels safe and happy, Koujaku does the same.

Real heroes leave when you finally feel safe.

\---

He's walking through District Three with Ren when there's a commotion blocking the street. He groans, about to ask Ren for an alternate route home when he hears his name.

"Aoba?" He doesn't recognize the voice, but when he turns around, he freezes.

"Kou, Koujaku?" He says, almost like it's a question to himself as he can fully tell it's the same person. Older, bigger, and looking like a man instead of a young boy now, but it's still the Koujaku from his childhood.

Koujaku smiles at him, a friendly laugh. "It's been a long time, huh?" He says it so carefree, like it's no big deal the other just abandoned him all those years ago.

Heroes return when you no longer need them and don't believe in them anymore.

\---

He sees the pain in Koujaku's eyes, the utter sadness and vulnerability. This is Koujaku with his guard down, without all the defense mechanisms to keep people away. A man he once saw as a hero has shown him the darkest parts of his soul and heart. He's done what villains do -- kill, hurt, and betray. He's used his strength to hurt the people closest to him, and this includes Aoba.

Somehow all this time, he's been Koujaku's hero all these years without being there. Koujaku tells him their friendship, especially Aoba's smile, has kept him alive all these years. Without him, Koujaku insists he'd be dead without Aoba. It's not something pleasing for him to hear, but it's the truth.

"I'm going to use scrap on you, Koujaku. I'm going to help you."

He's going to be Koujaku's hero because now he knows even heroes need someone to believe in.


End file.
